Matsko knows what UNC As capable of doing
By FRANK KENNEDY
Sports Editor
John Matsko, North Carolina's
offensive coordinator, knows what
the Tar Heels are capable of doing
this year.
He knows he has the experience
no less than seven offensive
starters from a year ago will suit
up again. He knows he has run
ning backs who have proven
themselves under fire. He knows
he has a line capable of warding
off blitzes and drilling holes
through defenses. And he knows
he has two quarterbacks who can
rifle a football more than halfway
down a football field.
Offense
But until the Tar Heels play
their first down of the season
Saturday against Navy, knowing
isn't proof enough. Success (or
lack thereof) is ultimately going to
lie in the seeing and in the doing.
Not terribly profound, but Matsko
is realistic.
"The strength of any team will
be when you have all 1 1 guys
executing," Matsko said. "That's
what we need to do."
Earl Winfield will lead a veteran
more wide open than in the past.
Iwiiiliiiii
Indeed. Last year's squad will
forever be living proof of that
theory. Loaded with talent and
numerous NFLUSFL draft cho
ices, the 1983 Tar Heels had a
knack for critical errors at the
most unfortunate times, and floun
dered from 7-0 to 8-4 almost as
quickly as the Titanic hit the
bottom of the Atlantic Ocean.
But Matsko won't talk about
last year. He's hardly alone. Head
coach Dick Crum clearly gets tired
of explaining 1983 to the media,
and the players certainly don't
look back on it with much fond
ness. Add to that the fact that this
really is a new team being fielded
by Crum, with a new quarterback
and a new offensive set.
"This is going to be an inter
esting year," Matsko said. "Our
guys have a tremendous attitude
and have worked real well
together. We're going to be a fun
team to watch."
The look of the team should
most certainly be different, aside
from the general inexperience at
some positions. UNC will run its
plays out of a split-back pro set,
as opposed to the traditional I
formation. In a split back formation, the
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corps of receivers in a UNC
fullback and tailback line up
beside each other instead of one
in front of the other. Matsko said
the switch will provide flexibility
and mobility in the offensive
scheme.
"Split backs allows our backs
to get out into the pattern quicker,
rather than getting (the football)
to the tailback in the I," he said.
"Well run the same I-plays but in
a split formation.
"One thing you want" to do as
an offense is line up in multiple
formations because if, for exam
ple, you lineup in the I all year
long, as the year goes along people
will know what you're going to
run. You want the defense to have
less familiarity with you, and we
hope that will cause some
confusion."
Crum said the split formation
will add a dimension to the aerial
attack .as well. "It helps in your
pass protection, because the backs
don't have to go as far out to
protect as they would in the I,"
he said.
Noted for years as a run
oriented team, UNC began to level
out its run-pass ratio two years
ago. Drop-back passer Scott
Stankavage completed a solid
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offensive scheme that may be
percentage of short- and
intermediate-range tosses during
his two years at the helm.
However, the offense was bas
ically more conservative than
most, and defenses rarely needed
to defend deep downfield. This
year, a combination of the split
back and a quarterback with a
stronger arm than Stankavage
introduces the threat of the long
pass.
Redshirt freshman Mark Maye
and sophomore Kevin Anthony,
who have been competing for the
starting quarterback role since
spring practice, are capable of
throwing the bomb.
Matsko, who doesn't want to
see a repeat of some of last year's
frustrations, sees promise at quar
terback. "We need to force the
defense to defend the length of the
field as well as the width of the
field," he said. "By doing that, we
also open up our running game."
Crum knows what the lack of
a deep threat can mean to a team.
"Stankavage was a very good
quarterback and was very intelli
gent, but we didn't have a deep
passing attack," Crum said. "Peo
ple got wise to that, and they really
sat on the passing game.
. "One of the kids we played
against late in the season said that
their coaches had them sitting
down at about 17 yards because
we didn't go any deeper than that,
and that was a very intelligent
move, because we didn't and we
couldn't."
Although no decision had been
rendered early this week as to who
would take the opening snap
Saturday, Matsko said he would
have no problems with either
Maye or Anthony. "Both of them
are good leaders, and have strong
arms," he said. "They're very
intelligent guys and they'll get us
in the right play.
"The timing of our passing is
improving every day. Our receiv
ers are really catching the ball and
running good patterns and the
quarterbacks are throwing good
strikes and making the good play."
But the true strength of this
team may lie where it has tradi
tionally been centered: the back
field. Tailback Ethan Horton and
fullback Eddie Colson, both
seniors, will be starting .together
for the second straight year.
Horton led the ACC in rushing
last year despite sharing time with
Tyrone Anthony. Colson, primar
ily used for his blocking skills,
managed 425 yards on a 5.4 per
carry average.
"Both of them are running and
blocking very well," Matsko said
of the tandem. "It was encouraging
the other day to see Eddie have
a long run. Ethan is doing a good
job running the patterns and Eddie
is picking up the blitzes."
Matsko would not guarantee
that Colson will be handed the ball
much more than last year, but said
the threat will always be there in
the split-back set. "We can get the
ball to the fullback position more,
and that will take a little bit of
a load off our tailback."
The offensive line is young when
stacked up against most teams, but
is a corps of experienced veterans
when compared to the UNC
defense, which returns only four
starters.
Sophomore Harris Barton will
hold the center slot for a second
year. Matsko said that Barton's
NORTH CAROLINA
1983 Record: 8-4
Coach: Dick Crum
Starters returning: Offense (7)
LG Greg Naron, C Harris
Barton, RT Willy Austin, TE
Arnold Franklin, WR Earl
Winfield, FB Eddie Colson, TB
Ethan Horton.
Defense (4) LB Micah Moon,
RT Brian Johnston, CB Larry
James, S Steve Hendrickson.
Forecast: The Tar Heels are
banking on a new attitude, new
talent and a new offensive set
to overcome the inexperience
that is prevalent on both sides
of the line of scrimmage. Their
schedule is tougher than the
last two, and a few losses
should not go unexpected.
With Clemson ineligible for the
ACC championship, the field is
wide open among the other
seven teams, and UNC looks to
have as much of an arsenal as
anyone else in that group.
Prediction: First in the ACC.
enthusiasm is his most positive
quality. "Harris loves football," he
said. "He really wants to be a good
football player."
Manning left guard is senior
Greg Naron, who is in his third
year of active duty. Matsko said
Naron is playing with confidence,
and added that his main strength
lies in his ability to finish blocks.
There is less experience at the
other guard, where sophomore
C.A. Brooks takes over the role.
Matsko said Brooks has worked
hard on his strength, increasing his
weight from 210 to 250 pounds
since spring practice. "He's a very
good athlete," Matsko said. "He
can pull and hit a guy on the run,
and he has such long arms, it
makes him a good pass blocker."
Matsko calls right tackle Bobby
Pope an outstanding pass blocker
who has improved his flexibility.
"He's a strong guy, but some guys
who are strong don't play strong.
They don't knock people off the
ball like he does."
Sophomore Pat Sheehan has
the most difficult task on the
offensive line: replacing Ail
American Brian Blados at left
tackle. Matsko calls Sheehan a
very intense player who shouldn't
have much trouble replacing
Blados. "(The left tackle) has to
be our best pass blocker and have
shifty feet," Matsko said, adding
that. Sheehan fits the mold.
Experience returns at tight ends
with Arnold Franklin and Dave
Truitt anchoring the lines. Frank
lin, a junior, caught 25 passes for
27 1 yards last year while junior
Truitt had 18 receptions for 204
yards. Matsko said that Truitt has
put on 23 pounds since the begin
ning of fall practice and now
checks in at 233. "In short yardage
situations, that will allow us to run
to either tight end," he said.
Sophomore Eric Streater, some
thing of a surprise in spring
practice, has moved into the
starting role at split end, while Earl
Winfield looks to be the number
one flanker. However, the compe
tition among the receiving corps
has been close and Matsko said
nothing is really definite in terms
of starters.
"All three guys can catch the ball
in crowds and run good patterns,"
he said. "And they're all good
blockers.